Ticket-cabinet.



PATENTED AUG. 8, 1905.

W. CAMPH.

TICKET CABINET.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 16

ANDREW. e. Gamm co.. Puum-Lxmonmwnis. wAsHmGrorl, Dv c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

l/VILLIAM OAMPH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND GUSTAVE A. WEIDHAAS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TICKET-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed March 16, 1905. Serial No. 250,425.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM OAMPH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ticket-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to means adapted to serve in theater box-offices and analogous situations for holding admission-tickets to be sold; and the object of the invention is to provide a cabinet in which the tickets for a number of successive performances may be held andconveniently presented, permitting the ticketseller to quickly and easily find the ticket corresponding to the seat selected by the buyer for anyof such performances and which shall occupy but little space and be simple in construction and eiiicient in operation.

The invention consists in certain novel features and arrangements of parts by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafter described.

The tickets for a performance are held in groups in pockets provided in a vertical tray, each group comprising the tickets for a row in a section, there being as many divisions in the tray as there are sections in the auditorium and a number of pockets in each division corresponding to the number of rows in each section. The trays for a number of performances-as, for example, six nights and two matinees, making eightin all, for one week-- are detachably supported at the back of the open portion of the cabinet. A similar number or series of trays for the' following week is detachably mounted in a vertical framein the closed portion arranged to be moved to aposition in front of the first series when required. A series for the next succeeding week is mounted in a second similar frame, and so on for as many weeks in advance as may be desired within the limits of the cabinet. Seats for the current week are sold from the relatively stationary series at the back and for the second, third, and succeeding weeks from the corresponding movable frames, which are drawn into view when required and again moved out of the way into the vclosed portion of the cabinet. In situationsjn which suflicient vertical space is available it is preferable to mount the frames in vertical ways analogous to window-sashes and by counterbalancing them slightly in excess of their respective weights when loaded with tickets induce them normally to remain elevated, but permitting them to be easily lowered into the open portion to allow access to the tickets carried thereby. The invention is thus shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front .view of a cabinet provided with swing-doors opened to show the interior. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken transversely through the cabinet and frames, partly in elevation and on a much larger scale. Fig. 8 is a corresponding view. the plane of section being at a right angle to that in the preceding ligure and showing one side of the cabinet and its contents partly in elevation. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section corresponding to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the trays and its frame on a still larger scale, and Fig. 6 is a corresponding front view of one of the trays alone.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the gures.

The outer sides of the cabinet are marked A, the bottom A', the top A2, and the back A3. The upper half of the front is permanently closed, as at Af, and the lower open portion is provided with swing-doors A5 A5, as in Fig. l, which may be closed to close the cabinet, or with aslide, as A6 in Fig. 2, which may be drawn downward for the same purpose. On the bottom A' of the cabinet near the back is a narrow rib or vertical flange A7, and at about the mid-height of the back and at the same distance therefrom is a strip A8, extending from side to side.

M M are the trays. All are alike and interchangealole, and each consists of two long side bars, a top and bottom, and a closed back, and one or more dividing-strips M, extending parallel with the sides from the top nearly to the bottom. Two division-strips M are shown in each tray; but the number may be varied. The spaces between the side bars and division-strips and between the latter are provided with angularly-set slats M2 parallel with and separated from each other to form open compartments or pockets m m for the reception of the groups of tickets. The divisionstrips M terminate at the lowermost slat near the bottom of the tray, and the remaining portion is formed into a single large pocket m, extending the full width of the tray and adapted to receive envelops, orders, and the like. The division-strips are of less depth than the side bars and project slightly beyond the pockets m, so that the projecting' upper ends of the tickets (not shown) shall lie within the plane of the front of the tray. The lower end of each side bar is cut away to form an oifset m2, and each upper end has a similar recess or offset m3.

B B are sliding frames analogous to window-sashes, each closed at the back B and having a lip B2 extending across the bottom and a lip B3 across the top corresponding to the rib A7 and strip A8. The frames slide in vertical ways formed by the beads A0 on the inner side pieces A10 of the cabinet and are counterbalanced by weights C, suspended by cords C, attached at one end to the slides and running on pulleys G2 and received in the space between the inner side pieces A10 and outer side pieces A.

The frames are provided with antifrictionrollers M3 on the sides and friction-stops M4, by which they may be held in the elevated position. A loop-handle M5 is attached to the bottom of each tray at the mid-width, by which it may be lowered for convenient access, and M M6 are spring-dogs on the bottom of the cabinet, each adapted to engage with a loop-handle and hold its frame in the lowered position when fully depressed.

The irst series of trays stand side by side on the bottom of the cabinet at the rear and are supported by the engagement of the ribs A7 and As in the offsets Wfmg, respectively,

- the engagement being effected by inserting the upper portion of the tray within the strip A8 and elevating the tray suiiiciently to pass the lower margin thereof over the rib A7 and then lowering it with the lower portion of the tray behind the rib. The trays are similarly engaged in the frames B, and the lateral space in the latter and at the back of the cabinet is sufficient to hold a series of eight trays side by side-one for each performance in the week represented by the series.

The frames are normally elevated out of the way in the closed portion of the cabinet, the greater number of sales being usually from the relatively fixed or iirst series at the back of the cabinet, and any tickets required for the succeeding weeks are procured by lowering the frames containing the second or third series, as the case may be. If there are to be anumber oi' sales from one of the frames, it is drawn down and held by the engagement of its loop-handle and spring-dog MG.

The trays may be shifted from side to side by removing one and shifting the rest, reinserting the removed tray at the other end of the series, if desired, andan entire series may` be shifted from one frame to the other or to the back of the cabinet by removing the eX- hausted series, lowering the frame containing the series to be moved, releasing the lower ends of all the trays in the latter series from engagement with the lower lip B. and elevating the frame, thus leaving the Jull vseries resting upon the bottom of the cabinet and inclined rearwardly against the back oi' the cabinet or one of the frames ready for the new position and easily held therein by lifting and then lowering each to engage its offsets m2 m3, as above described.

Although I have shown the cabinet as arranged for two sliding frames B, it will be understood there may be as many as desired. The trays may also be subdivided fora greater or less number of vertical rows of pockets, and the number oi' trays and the pockets therein may be varied to meet the requirements of the theater, hall, or other auditorium with which the cabinet is to serve.

Other modiiications may be made in the forms and proportions to suit various conditions. In box-offices in which vertical height is limited the frames may be arranged to slide laterally in either direction, and the cabinet in either form may be adapted to serve in the sale of railway or other tickets.

I claiml. In a ticket-cabinet, an open and a closed portion, a plurality of sliding frames arranged to be moved from said closed portion to said open portion and the reverse, a plurality oi' series oi' trays each tray having pockets adapted to contain tickets, and means for detachably supporting the trays of one of said series side by side in each of said frames.

2. In a ticket-cabinet having an open and a closed portion, a series of trays each having pockets adapted to contain tickets, means for detachably supporting said trays side by side in the rear of said open portion, aslidingi'rame arranged to be moved in Jfront of said series from said closed portion to said open portion and the reverse, a second series of similar trays, and means for detachably supporting lsaid second series side by side in said frame.

3. In a ticket-cabinet having an open and a closed portion, a series of trays each having pockets adapted to contain tickets, means for detachably supporting said trays side by side in the rear of said open portion, a plurality of sliding frames arranged to be independently moved parallel with each other, in front of said series of trays from said closed portion to said open portion and the reverse, and a plurality of series of trays one for each of said vframes, and means for detachably supporting them side by side therein.

4. In a ticket-cabinet having a closed portion above and an open portion below, a plurality of independent frames adapted to carry tickets and arranged to slide vertically from said closed to said open portion and the reverse, means for counterbalancing said frames, means for holding each in an elevated position, and means for holding each in the lowered position.

5. In a ticket-cabinet having an open and a closed portion, a series of trays, one for each of a corresponding series of performances, each tray having pockets adapted to contain tickets for one performance, means for detachably supporting said trays in the rear of said open portion, a sliding frame arranged to he moved in front of said trays from said closed to said open portion and the reverse, and a second series of trays detachably mounted in said frame, one for each of a second series of performances, each having pockets adapted to contain tickets for one performance of said second series.

6. In a ticket-cabinet having an open and a closed portion, a plurality of interchangeable trays each having pockets adapted to contain tickets for one performance, means for detach- `alcove set forth I ax my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' WILLIAM CAMPH.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. DERBY, CHARLES R. SEARLE. 

